Four new species of frog and another ‘Extinct’ frog rediscovered in Ecuador

September 2008. Herpetologists from the Museo Ecuatoriano de Ciencias Naturales (Ecuadorian Museum of Natural Sciences) have been surveying EcoMinga's reserves and have discovered four apparently new species of frogs in and around the reserves.

They estimate that the total number of frog species in the Cerro Candelaria Reserve (EcoMinga's largest reserve, bought with help from the World Land Trust) is around forty. This is good news in a world where most news about frogs is very depressing.

Rediscovered Harlequin frog
The herpetologists were especially thrilled to find a surviving population of a harlequin frog (Atelopus palmatus) that was thought to be extinct; this was found near EcoMinga's Rio Zuñac reserve. Their investigations of EcoMinga's reserves were funded by WLT trustee Nigel Simpson.

Bird-friendly coffee
Andrew Smiley from WLT visited the Candelaria Reserve in May to investigate the possibility of involving the reserve's neighbours in organic shade-grown coffee, which can be grown under a canopy of native trees. If agreement can be reached the coffee would be sold directly to Puro Coffee for their premium organic "bird-friendly" brands. This would improve the lives of local farmers and result in reforestation of current pasturelands.

Tree planting
Meanwhile, reforestation continues on former pastures along the edge of the Cerro Candelaria reserve. EcoMinga personnel are rapidly learning how to reconstruct a natural forest of high diversity in these former pastures. Over one thousand trees have now been planted.

Report from Lou Jost, Fundación EcoMinga